Wave-motor.



Patented June 5, I900.

V. GIFFURU.

WAVE MOTOR. (Application fild Dec. 23, 1899.;

(No Model.)

mi 21.8 95 e s 2 g WG/fW 2607M VINCENT GIFFORD, O F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTI-IS TO'ARTIIUR J. STEVENS, ALBERT VILLINGER, AND \VILLIAM WAVE- MOTOR. V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,327, dated June 5, 1900. Application filed December 23, 1899. Serialllo. 741,463. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VINCENT GIFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State 5 of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wave-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an apparatusdesigned to transmit power from a platform actuated by wave force; and the object thereof is to provide a simple device that will enable the utilization of the force of the waves in bodies of Water, principally the ocean or other bodies of salt water. I accomplish this object by the mechanism described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which' Figure 1 is a view in section of a portion of the shore line of a body of water with my device shown in elevation therein. Fig. 2 is a plan view of my apparatus.

In the drawings, A is the platform, affixed to the shaft B, which is pivotally attached at each end to piles C, driven into the earth at the bottom of the body of water in which the apparatus is placed. The front or sea end of platform A is attached to piles C, so that it is submerged at low tide as low as the trough of the average wave, and it extends toward the shore and should be of such length that the rear or shore end will project above the water to a height as high as high waves at high tide. Instead of piles any other suitable means of keeping the front end of the platformsubmerged may be used, such as a masonry or other pier.

A are side boards attached to platform A to prevent any portion of the wave rolling ed the platform at the side. On each end of the shaft B, preferably just inside of the bearings by which it is attached to piles C, are rigidly mounted grooved pulleys or wheels D, to which ropes or cables E are attached, by means of which the power generated by 5 the depression of the free end of the platform by the waves is transmitted preferably to the shore, then to be utilized.

F represents piles driven into the earth at the side of platform A to guide the same and at the shore, onthe top of which are guidepulleys G, over which cables E pass and by which they are supported. By attaching cables E to platform A wheels D could be omitted; but I prefer the wheels as they impart a more even movement to the cables than they would have if attached direct to the platform. Shaft B may also be dispensed with by attaching platform A to piles O by hinges. I have shown my device applied to a pumping plant on the shore. Cables E at the shore end are attached to bar H, which is pivotally connected to one end of the lever I, the other end of lever I being pivotally mounted in bearings J, affixed to timber K.

L is a well of water in which is a pump M, affixed to the side timbers thereof. Pumprod N of pump M is attached to lever I.

O is a discharge-pipe connected to the discharge-outlet of pump M and also leads to a reservoir (not shown) to store water placed at a suitable elevation above well L.

My device isoperated as follows: As the wave rolls upon platform A the weight of the water depresses the free end of the platform, thereby causing a partial rotation of shaft B, to which it is affixed, thus causing a movement of wheel D, which operates pump M through cables E and connecting parts and .forces water from the well to the reservoir. When the wave has passed over platform A, its buoyancy causes its free end to rise. The weight of pump-rod N causes it to descend and keep cable E taut. Each wave operates the device in like manner.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A wave-motor comprising a buoyant oscillating platform, having wave confining sides projecting upward from and along the sides thereof, the said platform being atsea end; the free end of the platform reaching shoreward; a grooved pulley keyed to said shaft and adapted to carry a powertransmitting cable, the free end of the platform being normally above the crest of the highest wave, and its pivoted end being below the trough of the lowest Wave, and means to tached to a rotating shaft at its outer or transmit the power created by the Waves passing over said platform and depressing the free end thereof.

2. The herein-described Wave-motor, comprising the buoyant platform A,having waveconfining sides A, the said platform being pivoted at its seaward end, said end being normally below the troughs of the lowest Waves, and its free end-reaching shoreward, and being normally above the crest of the highest Waves; the oscillating shaft B, to which the platform is rigidly affixed; the power-transmitting pulleys D keyed to said shaft; power-transmitting cables E, {LlfiliGd at one end to said pulley and at the other I5 end to the pump-rod N; and the pump-rod N having a Weight sufficient to keep the cable taut, substantially as described.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name, this 15th 20 day of December, 1899, at LosAngeles, Cali- 

